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Sunday, April 16, 2017

Celebrating Easter: A Call to Purpose

"Uncomfortable" - it's a word I have used often lately because it is a word that God has deeply pressed upon my heart over the last year or so. Each time He has pulled my heart a certain way and I've responded with, "But God are you sure? That will be hard. People won't understand. There will be adversity," and on and on and on, He has constantly reminded me that not once did He call me to live a comfortable life. I have a quote on my Facebook page that I think perfectly sums up the lesson He has been teaching me for the last year:

"I do not believe Jesus died for us so that we could live comfortable lives behind walls, indifferent to the suffering of others."

-Tim Breene, CEO, World Relief

Oh that hits my heart every single time that I read it because that statement is packed with so much truth. And what better day to remind ourselves of that truth and have our hearts convicted of that truth than on Easter Sunday. Let's talk for a minute, church. Sure, this is a fun day packed with celebration. We are celebrating the risen Savior. But if you are celebrating simply to show off your new clothes at church or have fun with Easter egg hunts or take the staple "family church photo," you're celebrating for the wrong reasons. Don't get me wrong, we bought new dresses and hunted eggs and took photos, and we do every year. They're not bad things to do, but they can't be all there is to this day. There has to be some soul searching.

Jesus died for you because He loves you. He redeemed you because He loved you. But He also died for you and redeemed you so that you could live out a calling to a life of purpose. Now I don't know what that purpose is for your life because that's between you and God, but if you have given your heart and your life over to Him, then He has a higher calling for your life. You have a calling beyond keeping up with the Joneses and simply doing whatever makes you happy. If you claim to be a follower of Christ then you are called to kingdom work. And friend, that often means we will be uncomfortable.

I'd love to tell you that I have this down pat. But I am writing this post today because my own heart was convicted as well. So how do we thank Jesus for the beautiful gift that we celebrate today? We put everything on the table for Him. We bring to Him a willingness to sacrifice anything to live out His purpose for our life. We sacrifice our comfort, our families, ourselves for the sake of the Gospel.

Our family just finished the steps to start doing our part for children in foster care in Alabama because after a year in prayer, we have no doubt that God is calling our family to serve in this way. We are overwhelmed by the support we have received from friends and family. We understand that many don't understand why we would want to do that or question our decision to involve our family in this ministry. But friend, please hear me out on this...what a gift God has given our family in this calling. Our daughters will get to see the Gospel of Jesus Christ lived out in our living room everyday with the opportunity to love these children and their birth families. They will see what it's like to love someone when it's difficult; to exercise patience when it's the hardest; to serve when it would be easiest to look away and sit in our comfortable lives. And we will have a constant reminder of his goodness and His forgiveness and His grace. What a gift.

I couldn't do that. I would get too attached.

Friend, that was exactly my thought when God started laying this on our hearts. But oh how those children are worthy of that attachment. How worthy these children of God are to have people who love them and believe in them and who love and believe in their birth parents. This is the ministry and the path that God has unquestionably called our family to and He has shattered every obstacle that came along the way.

I don't know what God is calling you to today, but as Easter Sunday draws to a close, I would encourage you to ask Him. Seek His heart and His calling on your life. He died because He loves us and He redeemed us because He loves us. We thank Him with our lives. We thank Him with our "yes." We thank Him with our "I'll go." This Easter, let's lay down the idea of a prosperity Gospel and embrace the message of laying down your life and serving however He calls. Embrace your life of purpose and be willing to lay everything down for the One who gave everything for you.

I am a child of Jesus Christ first and foremost. I am a working wife and mother. I am blessed to spend every day with my beautiful daughters. My handsome little man was born peacefully sleeping on August 23, 2012. This blog is my journey through motherhood, life after loss, and lessons learned along the way.